Wardrobe detox help!

[ceeveebee]

About 3 years ago I was a size 8. I 'let myself go' a bit when TTC, and subsequently put on a lot of weight during twin pregnancy. They are now 7 mo and I am a size 10/12 top and 12/14 bottom. I just cannot ever see a day when I will get back into my previous clothing and even if I could not sure if it will be dated by then.

To make matters worse I have a terrible high street shopping habit. I buy lots and lots of clothes mostly from places like oasis, gap, banana republic, next, Dorothy Perkins and I have a completely bulging wardrobe and 3 vac pacs of clothes in the loft, ranging from size 8 to 12.

I just feel overwhelmed by all the clothes and don't know where to start. I like most of the clothes I have but I just don't wear them, either because they don't fit, or I forgot I even had them.

I have just roughly counted and I have about 40 work dresses (am on mat leave till November), 20 'occasion' dresses and the same in day dresses. I have about 15 pairs of trousers none of which fit, about 10 pairs of jeans but wear the same 2 pairs on rotation. About 30 jumpers. Probably around 100 'tops'. 20 coats. 50 pairs of shoes.

(incidentally I gave all my maternity clothes away, they filled a large laundry bag, I bought about 100 items!!)

I just don't know where to start but would like to end with a streamlined wardrobe. I need to be gokked! Does anyone have any hints of how to do this, and what to do with old clothes (none of them are really expensive enough to eBay)

Sorry for long post!

Some great tips about decluttering. Stick to the premise of three basic colours with an accent colour and get rid of the rest.

Have you got a dress agency near you or in a posh area? Friend of mine takes hers to a shop who sell them for her and take commission. It saves the postage and having to package them up

Justwantcheese, really? I didn't know anyone sold/bought clothes at car boot sales (I've never been to one). There is one quite near me , maybe I'll give them a call and ask if clothing is something they sell

Mirpuppet, thanks again! One of my friends sells a few things so I'd probably use her account

Sharon, would dress agencies take high street stuff? Whenever I've been in any they seem to be all Prada and Gucci. I live in Richmond upon Thames so is quite posh! And a lot of my clothes are what my mum describes as sludge coloured (grey, beige, camel, khaki etc) with a bit of orange and purple thrown in!

Grey, beige, camel, Khaki are not sludge - they are a neutral palette, and sound like good basics, NOT that you are going to keep them . I really reckon ebay is your friend - I agree with Mirpuppet, list when it is free (which seems to be every other weekend at the moment) and I start items at about £5 - then it makes the packing and PO trip seem worthwhile/bareable. Have you managed to sort/chuck anything so far?

Err no, By the time the DTs were asleep and I had cooked dinner it was 10pm so will start tomorrow, I promise!

On a postive note I have not bought a single item of clothing for me ALL WEEK, which is amazing for me considering the sales are on

Well done, it gets easier the longer you don't spend and honestly creating a virtual shopping basket on Amazon really helps me think about what I really need. But I am finding it easy not buy summer sale items at the mo - think it might be the only silver lining about the weather/rain, but I'm keeping busy planning autumn winter stuff!

Right, I have made a good start. Been through all the stuff in the loft and earmarked over 70 items for charity / eBay currently all in piles by size (8, 10, 12). Also went through work skirts and suits which I'd forgotten about as they're in another wardrobe and put most of skirts on pile as they don't fit (so that's another 15 mostly tweed pencil skirts all pretty identical). Can't bring myself to throw out my occasion dresses as mostly still fit (or not far off) as I gave all my size 8 stuff away when I got pregnant. So now just need to go through current stuff ie things I've bought since having babies, which of course all fits but is not all nice.

Seriously I could have bought a small car instead of wasting all this money!

All the above plus:

One of my rules is, when I try something on, ask myself, are there other items of clothing I will always choose over this? if so sell/ charity.

Lots of things will go on ebay, just start it at 99p and see what happens!